1. Field of the Disclosure
This invention relates to a covering, as well as panels and auxiliary pieces, which are used therewith.
In particular, the invention is intended for floor coverings, which are composed of floor panels mechanically coupled together in a locking manner; however, more generally it can also be applied with coverings for other purposes, such as wall and ceiling coverings, which are composed of panels.
2. Related Art
More particularly, the invention relates to a covering, which comprises a plurality of panels of a panel material; wherein these panels, at least at two opposite edges, are provided with coupling parts by which the panels are coupled to each other; wherein these coupling parts comprise a tongue and a groove, as well as locking parts preventing the drifting apart of two such panels; wherein the groove is bordered by an upper lip and a lower lip; wherein the upper lip, the lower lip and the tongue are formed at least partially and preferably entirely from the aforementioned panel material; and wherein in the coupled condition the tongue, at least with the portion thereof which consists of the panel material, reaches underneath that portion of the upper lip which also consists of panel material. A covering, more particularly a floor covering of this type, is known, amongst others, from the patent document WO 97/47834.
Such coverings show the disadvantage that, in particular in the case of panels where the panel material is wood or is based on wood, and in particular with floor panels, too, creaking may occur by tiny mutual movements of the panels. In particular with floor panels, the risk is high that creaking noises will manifest themselves, as, when the panels are walked on, they are pressed somewhat into the mostly soft underlying layer underneath the panels and the panels thereby perform a very small hinging movement in the coupling parts, whereby, amongst others, the surfaces of the locking parts shift along each other, which can be accompanied by creaking noises.
A solution for this problem had already been suggested in EP 0 974 713, wherein a lubricating agent, such as, for example, paraffin, or an elastic coating is provided on the coupling parts. A disadvantage of such lubricating agent, however, is that it must be applied relatively accurate, that it is not always efficient, as mostly, it cannot be applied next to the edge of the decorative surface of the panel, and that the mechanical application thereof requires accurate and expensive equipment.